Adjustment buckle structure



Sept.,8, 1936. s, H, CA P 2,053,600

- ADJUSTMENTDBUCKIYJE STRUCTURE Filed May 25, 1934 7 4 Samuel H. Cam 1 Patented Sept. 8, 1936 ADJUSTMENT BUCKLE STRUCTURE Samuel H. Camp, Jackson, Mich., assignor to S. H. Camp & Company, Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 25 1394, Serial No. 727,480

, 0mi s. (01. 24- 73) tion 24 to offset thesame with reference to the The present. invention relates to improvements in garment adjustments and adjustment buckle structures and has particular reference to garment adjustment structures of the type disclosed in myUnited States Patent No. 1,438,942.

It is considered of importance. that under gar-. ments such as surgical supports, corsets, brassieres, corselettes, combination supporting garments and the like present as smooth a foundation for the outer garments as possible. In such garments in which adjustment straps with associated .buckles or similar structures are employed and overlie the surfaceof the garment, it has been found exceedingly difficult to avoid 0bjectional protuberances which are readily apparent through the outer garment.

Thus it becomes the object of the present invention to provide ingarments of the aforesaid type, buckle and adjustment structures," which largely overcome the difliculties of prior structures, by closely adhering to the surface of the under garment and reduces the protuberancy to a minimum. f

Other: objects and advantages residing in the combination and arrangement and construction of parts will become apparent from the detailed description to follow when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 isa plan view of my improved buckle structure,v

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the buckle shown in Fig. 1 with lacing and adjustment strap associated therewith,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged'cross-sectional viewof Fig. 2, and a Fig. 4 is a viewof the adjustment structure and associated buckle as applied to a garment.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, reference character I 6 generally designates a buckle having a rectangular frame I2. jA cross-bar l4'is slidably mounted at both ends upon the sides N5 of the frame I2 by looped portions l8. 'Opposed portions of the frame l2 and bar l4 are serrated as at 2022 to effectively clamp the adjustment strap as will be hereinafter described. As more clearly shown inFig. 4,.the front portion 24 of the frame I2 is deflected to project the serrated portion22 up into the path of the serrated -portion20 0f thecross-bar I4. The rear portion 26of the frameIZ is deflected at 28 to provide an attachment portion 30 for the metal tab 32. It will benoted that the portion 30 is sharply deflected downwardly as viewed in Fig. 3, with reference. to the sides .16 and frontporgeneral plane of the buckle structure.

The metal tab 32 has a looped integral portion 34 which is preferably sharply deflected at 36 to provide a substantially vertical surface 31 contiguous with the horizontal extension 39 of the tab 32 which constitutes a bearing surface for the portion 30 of the buckle [0. In the embodiment shown, the tab 32 is provided with a plurality of eyelets 38 through which lacing for adjusting the sections of the garment may be passed. This construction is particularly designed for continuous equalizing lacing of the type shown in my patent above mentioned. However, the invention is not limited to any particular type of lacing and other forms ofadjustment structure such as straps, belting, webbing, etc., may be suitably anchored to the tab 32 or its equivalent. j V Y In Fig. 4, the buckle I0 is shown in association with the adjustment strap 40 and lacing42. The strap 40 is anchored at 44 to the garment 4G and the free end is bent over the cross-bar l4 and passed between the opposed serrated portion.20-22 of the buckle H]. In the adjustment of the garment the free end 48 of the strap 40 is drawn to the right in Fig. 4 to exert traction upon the lacing 42. Upon release this traction acts to slide the cross-bar 14 toward the front of the buckle clamping the strap 40 between the serrated portions 2022 as at 50. j

Referring. to Fig. 3, following adjustmentof the strap 40 the buckle Ill is tensioned between thev bearing surface 31 of the tab 32 and the point of tangential contact between the crossbar I4 and the strap 40 such as at 52. The buckle construction and associated adjustment means are enlarged four times that of the preferred .commercial size in Fig. 3 and the relative position of thecomponent parts approximate the position assumed thereby and overlying the outside of the garment and closely adhering to the contour of the body. It will be apparent from reference to the dotted horizontal line through the pointof engagement of the portion 30 with the bearing surface 3! that traction upon the cross-bar. I4 will tend to draw the buckle down toward such line into the general plane of the horizontal por-. tion 39 of the tab 32. This is not, however, fully accomplished in practice because of the presence of the two plies of straps 49 located between the front portion 24 and the garment or the body of the wearer. The effect, however, is to impartto the buckle ID the tendency to be located in the plane of the strap .40 and the horizontal portion 39 with the result that protuberance of the adjustment structure is reduced to a minimum. This is thought to be apparent from Fig. 2 which discloses the tab 32, buckle l0 and associated adjustment structure all located in substantially a single plane. The structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is twice the size of the preferred commercial form of the invention which obviously has the effect of exaggerating the apparent extent of any protuberance. It is also to be noted that by deflecting the front portion 24 to project the serrated edge 22 into engagement with the edge 20 the protuberance resulting from deflecting the free end of the strap 40 between the edges 20-22 and beneath the portion 24 is reduced.

Heretofore it has been the practice in certain buckle constructions to impart thereto the curvilinearity of the body of the wearer for obvious reasons. It is to be understood that although the sides [6 of the buckle l0 are preferably curvilinear the invention is not so limited and may not necessarily bear any relation to the general curvilinearity of the body of the wearer. One desired advantage in having the sides 16 curvilinear in the embodiment illustrated resides in the fact that because the traction of the strap is effective centrally of the frame I2, the front portion 24 is urged into contact with the strap 40. It is considered that the essence of the invention resides in an adjustment buckle construction in which the configuration and relative location of the buckle is such as to result in the buckle being urged into the general plane of the associated lacing, straps or the like to reduce the protuberance of the buckle to a minimum.

Only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein and that, one which has proven to be commercially satisfactory. Obviously, the construction of the buckle and associated structures may be materially varied from that shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is my intention to include such variations as part of my invention as would fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the portion 30 could be extended the entire width of the buckle. Also, the size I6 may be substantially flat and the frame l2 adjacent the rear portion 26 sharply deflected downwardly. Other modifications will readily suggest themselves.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustment structure for garments and the like adapted to overlay a surface and characterized by its smooth exterior contour under adjustment traction, comprising a generally rectangular buckle frame having substantially parallel front and rear portions spaced by substantially parallel side portions, at least a part of said rear portion being deflected out of the general surface of said side portions, a tab having a relatively flat exterior disposed in the same general surface as said side portions under adjustment traction and a part embracing said deflected part of said rear portion, said embracing part being entirely located to one side of said flat exterior, said parts having hinging action and engaging each other to one side of the general surface of said side portions and the flat exterior of said tab, a bar paralleling said front portion and slidably supported upon said side portions, a flexible strap member having one end thereof adapted to be anchored to the garment and a free end passed beneath said front portion and said bar, return bent over said bar, passed between said bar and front portions and thence beneath said front portion, said bar under adjustment traction sliding upon said side portions to clamp said strap between said bar and front portion, said bar and the point of engagement between the return bent portion of said strap under adjustment traction being located to one side of the point of engagement of said parts with reference to the line of adjustment traction whereby said frame hinges about said parts and said front portion is urged toward said strap passing therebeneath, and means associated with said tab for anchoring the same relative to said garment.

2. An adjustment structure for garments and the like adapted to overlay a surface and characterized by its smooth exterior contour under adjustment tractioncomprising a buckle frame having front and rear portions, side portions spacing said front and rear portions, at least a part of said rear portion being deflected out of the general surface of said side portions, a tab having a relatively flat exterior surface and having a part thereof embracing said deflected part of said frame, said embracing and deflected parts having hinging engagement with each other at a point below the general surface of said side portions, a clamping bar carried by said frame, a flexible strap member having one end thereof adapted to be anchored to the garment and a free end passed beneath said front portion and engaging said bar at a point between said front and rear portions of said frame, the point of engagement between said strap and said bar being located to one side of the point of engagement of said hinged parts with reference to the line of adjustment traction whereby under the traction of adjustment said frame hinges about said parts and said front portion is urged toward said strap passing therebeneath, and means associated with said tab for anchoring the same relative to said garment.

3. An adjustment structure for garments and the like adapted to overlay a surface and characterized by its smooth exterior contour under adjustment traction, comprising an anchoring tab having a relatively flat exterior surface and a shoulder portion disposed to one side of said surface, a buckle frame having front, rear and side portions, said front and side portions under adjustment traction being adapted to be disposed in the same general surface as the exterior surface of said tab, the rear portion of said frame being deflected out of the general surface of said side portions and engaging behind said shoulder portion and having a hinging engagement therewith, a flexible strap having one end adapted to be anchored to the garment and the free end passed beneath said front portion and engaging with a part of said frame at a point above the point of engagement between said shoulder portion and said rear portion with reference to the line of adjustment traction whereby under the traction of adjustment said frame hinges about said shoulder portion and said front portion is urged toward said strap passing therebeneath, and means associating with said tab to anchor the same relative to said garment.

4. An adjustment structure for garments and the like adapted to overlay a surface and characterized by its smooth exterior contour under adjustment traction, comprising a tab attachment portion and a frame portion adapted to have the outer surfaces thereof disposed in substantially the same general plane when longitudinal- 1y extended, said frame being generally rectangular, one of the opposed sides of said frame being angularly disposed with reference to said plane to provide an offset, a part of said tab being likewise angularly disposed with reference to said plane to provide an offset, said offset portions of said tab and frame being pivotally connected and providing a pivotal point below said plane, a cross bar mounted upon said frame in the same general plane thereof, garment adjustment means connected to said tab, an adjustment strap having one end adapted to be anchored to the garment and the free end passed beneath said cross bar and return bent thereover to be clamped between said cross bar and frame, the plane of engagement of said adjustment means and said strap with said frame and tab being above said pivotal point whereby said tab and frame under adjustment traction are urged into said general plane.

SAMUEL H. CAMP. 

